


merits of sin and virtue

by orphan_account



Series: post nubes lux [2]
Category: Political RPF, Political RPF - US 21st c., Real Person Fiction
Genre: Cunnilingus, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Gen, Infidelity, Lesbian Sex, Outdoor Sex, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-09-25 18:31:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9838190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The sun isn’t even up when her phone goes off with a series of texts.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Due to popular demand, there are footnotes. Not all are important, but I'd highly recommend 2, 5, 9, and 14.

The sun isn’t even up when her phone goes off with a series of texts. At first, she doesn’t feel like checking – Christ, it’s not even morning yet – but then it goes off again. At this point, she can either smash her phone or grab it, read the texts, and turn it off so she can go back to sleep.

Another text comes in and Hillary finally gives in to read it. They’re all from Elizabeth, and, if she’s completely honest, she can’t say she’s surprised by this.

 _Are you in DC?_  
_Or New York?_  
_Or Boston?_  
_Really, any major city._  
_Everyone’s wondering where you are_

_Who’s wondering what?_

_The Women’s March, Hillary!  
Where are you???_

_I’m back home, and I literally just woke up_

_Well turn on your TV or something because this is ‘yuge’_

She lets out a slight snort at that – she can’t help herself. She makes that joke with Betsy and the girls all the time – ‘yuge’, ‘bigly’, ‘you’re fired’. She wonders what they’d think of Elizabeth, if they got to know her a little better.

And then she remembers who she’s thinking about and she throws her phone aside and goes back to sleep.

She’s sent out a supportive tweet by seven am, right after breakfast, and the texts from everyone else start coming in at a reasonable time. Elizabeth doesn’t text back, but it’s not as though Hillary wants her to. Well, she doesn’t _not_ want her to, but she doesn’t _not_ not want her to – and she should probably stop thinking like that.

Still, sitting in her pajamas with a bowl of cereal in her lap and the two dogs by her feet, Hillary finds herself turning on CNN and catching a part of Elizabeth’s address.

“We are here!” she shouts, on the TV, miles away in Boston. “We will not be silent! We will not play dead! We will fight for what we believe in!” [1]

 _Maybe I should start putting my phone on silent,_ Hillary muses as yet another text buzzes through on her phone.

There’s some shuffling in the distance and by the time Bill comes into the living room, she’s already changed the channel to HGTV.

“Is that Property Brothers or is this the other one?” he asks. Tally and Massie run up to greet him and he absently bends down to scratch their heads.

“It’s the other one,” she replies. She takes a bite of her cereal and swallows down the soggy pieces. How long has she been sitting here for?

“Huh.” He stands up and looks from the TV, then back at her and asks, “We’re not out of cereal, are we?”

“Not yet.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Alternative facts,” Jennifer says, sounding on the verge of either screaming or laughing. “ _Alternative facts_.”  [2]

“Yes, Jen, we’ve all heard the news,” Robby sighs, and Hillary can distinctly hear Philippe and Huma muffling their laughter. “We all know you would’ve done a better job than her.”

“Not a very difficult thing, to be completely honest,” Joel mumbles.

“I’m glad you could make it on this conference call, Joel, seeing as how you’re _so_ busy doing – whatever it is you’re doing. Polling or something.”

“I wasn’t criticizing _you_ – I was criticizing _them_! The administration! Conway, to be exact!”

“I’m very grateful that it’s difficult to leak phone calls,” Huma says, “because otherwise, I’m certain this conversation alone would kill our careers.”

Hillary lets out a long sigh. “If we could get back on topic…” She clears her throat and leans back, trying to ease the tension out of her body. “Once again, I thank all of you for taking time out of your busy schedules to phone in – I know many of your fellow colleagues couldn’t and I know none of you work for me anymore, so thank you.”

She pauses a moment, in case anyone wants to say anything, before continuing. “The rumors haven’t stopped about the possibility of me running for New York City mayor.” [3]

“I think I know what you’re going to say, ma’am,” Philippe says, “and, if you did, hypothetically, run for office, you’d have a good chance of winning.”

“We can run some numbers, check some things out,” Joel adds. “Wouldn’t be too much trouble. I actually feel pretty confident that our numbers would look good.”

“That being said,” Jennifer starts, “given the last year, maybe it’s best you take a break for a while. It’s been a very trying time, especially for you, and no one would blame you for going on vacation and taking time for yourself and your family.”

“I see,” Hillary says. She checks the time on her phone before bringing it back to her ear. “I’m sorry, but something’s come up – I’m going to have to leave earlier than anticipated. Thank you all, once again, for doing this for me.”

Huma clears her throat. “Ma’am, I think I speak for everyone in this call that whether or not you decide to run, we’ll all be here to support you. No matter what. It’s the least you deserve.”

Hillary’s not really sure what to say, so she says, “Thank you,” and after saying goodbye again, hangs up. She sits there for a couple more moments, before shaking her head and turning on the TV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“People Magazine?” Bill asks. He sets the groceries down on the table and raises a brow. “Really?” [4]

“How did you find out about that?” she asks. “It happened while you were out.”

“I have a news alert on you too, you know.” He opens the fridge and starts shoving food inside. “So, you ignore phone calls and texts from almost everyone we know, and then People Magazine calls and you decide to go ahead and give them a statement?”

She shrugs, attention back on her phone. “They were persuasive, and they wanted to hear about it from me.”

“Huh.” He folds up the empty bags and shoves them under the sink. “What’re you reading right now?”

“Elizabeth Warren’s justification for voting Carson on the Cabinet.” [5]

“Carson?” Bill chokes out a laugh. “Guy couldn’t find a house if he was in one. What’s she thinking, giving him a position in the government?”

“According to Politico, she says he made _‘good, detailed promises’_ when they asked him questions.” She looks up at him and shrugs again.

Bill just shakes his head. “I’m so glad we’re out of politics. It was nice to be relevant while it lasted.” The dogs run in, tails wagging happily behind them, and he grabs some treats and tosses them over.

She rolls her eyes and leans against the cabinets. “We could still be relevant – I’m sure any one of the stars of HGTV would be happy to come here and spruce up our home.”

“Or we can clear the attic of all our junk and be on Antiques Roadshow.”

She rolls her eyes and he laughs and it’s a nice moment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s not a concrete dream, but then again, when are dreams really concrete? Just vague moments of a reality that hopefully won’t happen.

They come for her in the middle of the night – and she knows it’s a dream because she and Bill are in the same bed – and he tries to fight them and they punch him so hard, his nose breaks and the blood doesn’t stop gushing and she can’t stop staring until they shove a bag over her head and her world goes black.

Then it changes, and she’s in Times Square, and it’s on every single screen, her and Elizabeth, the two of them, and what they did – what they did that night, in that room, the two of them, together. And Chelsea’s there and her eyes are on every screen and then she turns around and then.

And then Hillary wakes up and doesn’t go back to sleep.

Bill finds her, around four am, sitting in front of the TV with her legs folded up beneath her while late-night PBS plays on TV. He sits down beside her and puts an arm around her and Hillary knows that she can never tell him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth calls her and despite the fact that Hillary has no reason to speak with her, has every reason _not_ to speak with her, she picks up. “Hello.”

“I see you’re coming out with another book, too,” Elizabeth hums.  [6]

Hillary sighs. “And I see that everyone and their mother has a news alert on my name, too.” She closes the book in her lap – she was, moments ago, really invested, but now it doesn’t seem all that important – and leans back.

“I’m reading your statement right now.” She clears her throat and recites, “ _These are the words I live by. These quotes have helped me celebrate the good times, laugh at the absurd times, persevere during the hard times and deepen my appreciation of all life has to offer_.”

“I did say all of those things.”

Elizabeth sighs, and something presses deep into Hillary’s chest. “You’ve been distant since the inauguration. With good reason, of course, but there’s only so much time I can spend with these other senators and all the other shits in DC.”

Hillary doesn’t mean to say it, but she says, “And what about your husband?”

There’s a quiet pause, and then, in a quieter voice, “Him too.”

“Oh.” She shifts in her couch until she’s almost lying down, listening to Elizabeth’s even breathing on the other end. “I’ve seen some of your speeches on the floor. They’re very good.”

“Very good,” Elizabeth repeats, humor coloring her tone.

“Oh please, neither you nor I can become poets on the fly,” Hillary says with a role of her eyes. “It’s a pity about Tillerson, though.”

“Pity is one way to put it.” She lets out a slight chuckle. “Who would you have picked for the job?”

“I don’t like thinking about that,” Hillary admits.

“Why not?”

“Because when I think about what would happen if I did win, I remember I didn’t win.”

“I see,” Elizabeth says, slowly, softly, and Hillary knows she means it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It’s so weird to think of you and Lady Gaga as friends,” Betsy says.

“Which is more surprising,” Hillary asks, “the fact that I’m friends with her, or she’s friends with me?”

“Do you really want me to answer that?”

Hillary laughs, shaking her head and lowering the volume of the TV. “Chelsea refuses to answer that question because she thinks either will offend me.”

“She’s not completely wrong,” Betsy laughs. “Though I’m sure both of them greatly appreciated the tweet you sent out.”

“I’m sure they do,” Hillary hums, letting it drift into a sigh. “You know, you didn’t have to call me, Betsy. I’m not that sensitive about the election that some jokes about the Super Bowl are going to send me into a depressive spiral.”

“I know, I know,” Betsy says, “but I just wanted to make sure.”

“Well, thank you for that,” Hillary smiles.

“So, tell me, anything new going on?”

For a split moment, Hillary considers telling her everything – all about her and Elizabeth, all about her nightmares, all about what she’s feeling – but she can’t burden her best friend like that. So instead, she swallows hard and says, “Well, Bill and I went on a date night a couple of days ago.” [7]

“Really?” Betsy says, listening intently as Hillary talks, and it almost seems like everything is normal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At some point, she’d added Elizabeth Warren to her Google news alerts, but she hadn’t expected anything to come out of it. She doesn’t even think to mention it to her, in those few times they talk.

But when she gets the alert that Sasha Baker has been added to Elizabeth’s staff[8] – Sasha Baker, an ‘experienced national security advisor’ – Hillary finds herself sending the link to her with a single question: _2020?_

There’s no reply.

She checks her phone all day, expectantly, as though maybe she’ll change her mind, but there’s nothing. Not a single thing. And maybe that’s what she deserves.

“Is something up?” Bill asks. He pauses the movie they were screening on Netflix and gives her a confused look. “You don’t seem to be enjoying this as much as you usually do.”

“I’m just...” The truth is on the tip of her tongue but she swallows it back and forces out the lie. “Just thinking about the book I’m reading. I left it on a cliffhanger.”

Bill rolls his eyes fondly, chuckling. “Do you wanna go finish that instead?”

“No, I’m good here,” she insists. She leans against him and watches the movie play out on the screen but in the back of her mind, all she feels is guilt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Your vacation photos [9] are everywhere,” Hillary hums into the phone. “Though I notice the ones from the bender that you sent us are nowhere to be seen.”

Barack laughs, and she imagines him throwing his head back as he lounges on a comfortable couch, the sun pouring in through the windows and the smell of the sea in the air. “I don’t want my kids getting the wrong impression.”

“I think they have a positive enough role model in Michelle,” she retorts, and he laughs again. “Where is she, by the way? We were texting the other day and I told her I’d call.”

“She might be catching up on some reading,” he says. “It’s been a great vacation so far. I try not to look at the news too often, just so it stays that way.”

“That’s a very smart move.” She sits back a little and suddenly the desire to confess comes over her all over again. But no, no, she can’t burden him with this too. This problem is her own and she has to deal with it herself.

She’s paused for too long, she realizes belatedly, as Barack says, “Hillary, is something wrong?”

“No,” she says slowly. She clears her throat. “No, I’m just wondering when would be a good time for Bill and I to drop by?”

“Anytime,” Barack says, and she knows he means it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s around two am when there’s a knock on the door. Hillary pauses the movie and gestures the dogs back while Bill gets up to answer.

She’s scrolling through the news on her phone – mostly reactions to what happened on the Senate floor earlier[10], which, by all accounts, was a disservice to both Elizabeth and Coretta Scott King, but she’d tweet something out along those lines tomorrow – when she hears Bill’s voice and her heart stops in her chest.

“Senator Warren,” Bill says, sounding surprised. “Wow – we just turned off coverage about what happened on the Senate floor.”

“I’m glad you’re watching at all, Mr. President,” Elizabeth says. “I’m sorry, but would you mind asking Secretary Clinton over?”

“Yeah, of course,” he says. He comes back into the room and Hillary doesn’t know how she does it, but she finds herself in the doorway.

“Mind going for a walk with me?” Elizabeth asks.

Hillary nods, and the next thing she knows, they’re out in the woods, stars above them and trees around them. Elizabeth walks just beside her, just within reach, just _there_.

“I realize,” Elizabeth starts, all of a sudden, “that we never talked about what happened on Election Day.”

Hillary blinks, and then blinks again. “Elizabeth, you were just silenced on the Senate floor. Don’t you think we should maybe talk about that instead?”

Elizabeth chuckles, smile tugging on her lips. “I’ve got that handled, Hillary, don’t worry. I’d… I’d rather talk about this.”

“You want to talk about this?” Hillary says with a scoff. “Fine, let’s talk about this – let’s talk about how you drove here, all the way from DC, had a whole interview with Rachel Maddow in your car[11], did god knows what else – all so you could come and talk to me about Election Night?”

“Yes,” Elizabeth says, after a moment. “I did that because, well… I knew you’d never see me unless I came to see you.”

They’ve stopped walking. Hillary doesn’t know for how long, she’s just looking at Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s looking at her and there’s just silence between them.

It just happens – she’s not sure of who moves first, just that Elizabeth’s hair is soft under her hands and her lips are so cold from their time outside and her fingers are carding through her hair and pulling her closer – and then Hillary’s pushing her away. She takes a step back and takes a deep breath and tries to find her words.

“Elizabeth, I…” she sees her breath hang in the air as she says, “I can’t. I… I know Bruce. I’ve met him, and I know you love him so – and I’ve been on the other side of this. I can’t do that to him. I… I just can’t.”

Elizabeth doesn’t respond, not for a moment, but then she moves over, slowly, carefully, like she’s comforting a wounded animal who might try and run away. “The business of my marriage is between me and Bruce, and the business of our relationship is between us. And he understands that. And I hope you do too.”

Hillary is silent for a long while. It’s not a very convincing argument, not at all. And there are so many things she can say in response, to end this right here and right now, before it gets too much to handle. “I guess I was right,” she says. “You really can’t be a poet on the fly.”

Elizabeth stares at her and then breaks into laugher, bending over and holding her stomach. It’s borderline hysterical and it’s probably because she’s been up all night and words must’ve failed her hours ago, but it feels so natural, in this situation, to laugh.

She’s grinning when she comes up for air and Hillary’s grinning back and then they’re kissing again – Elizabeth’s hands grip the back of her head and she sucks on her lower lip while Hillary cups her face with both hands and kisses back. It’s not as fiery as the last time, but more languid, more desperate, all-consuming.

Elizabeth seems to have a lot of ardor for three in the morning, because then she’s pressing her against the nearest tree, barely pausing for a breath as she slides her hand down Hillary’s pants and pressing her icy fingers against her clit.

“Oh, _fuck_ ,” Hillary says, quiet plainly. Elizabeth laughs, breathless, into her ear, before sliding her tongue down the nape of her neck and letting the icy air hit her skin. Hillary moans, just a little, and pulls her in for another kiss. Her fingers move in tandem with her kisses, alternating between hard and rough with teeth and nails threatening to mark her skin, and soft and teasing with barely-there touches that leave her wanting more.

It’s a testament to how old she’s getting when she comes in a few moments with Elizabeth’s fingers barely inside her, but she’s got enough energy left in her to press Elizabeth against the tree a few moments later. Her glasses are fogged up and sliding off her nose and her lips are red and swollen and all Hillary can think about is kissing her again.

She gets down on her knees, right there, out in the open, where anyone could walk up and see them – two women, both married, both past their prime, having sex in the woods. Anyone could see them, recognize them, know them. Bill could walk by. Chelsea could walk by.

The dream plays back in her mind, and she pulls down Elizabeth’s clothes and eats her out, against a tree, in the middle of the woods. Her lips are cool and Elizabeth is so wet and warm that it’s easy to slide her tongue around, in and out of her cunt, flicking at her clit and leaving a conspicuous bruise on the side of her thigh, until she can feel a hand in her hair tightening as Elizabeth comes.

She tastes better than Bill ever did, but Hillary has no idea what to do with that knowledge.

They don’t say a word as they head back, the air between them hot and heavy, but Elizabeth kisses her one last time before she heads back into her car and drives away, back to DC. Hillary stays out until she can’t feel her lips anymore, then finally, she goes back in.

Tally and Masie are there to greet her when she opens the door, along with Bill, who looks past her and out into the driveway. “She’s not coming in?”

“No, she has to get back.” She bends down and rubs the dogs’ heads, and is careful not to have them sniff her face too carefully. She wonders if they’re able to tell what she’s just done. “She’s got a meeting tomorrow morning – well, I guess that’s today, now.”

Bill nods, understanding. “Why did she come all the way out here, though?”

Hillary pauses for a fraction of a second. “She wanted some advice.”

“She could’ve gotten advice on the phone. What was so important that she had to come and see you in person?”

“I’m sorry,” she says. She pauses a moment, just to let the words sink in. “But I can’t tell you. There’s just some things you have to ask in person.” She stands up and forces a smile. “Now, let’s finish that movie, shall we?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She sends out a tweet the next morning and plans to leave her phone aside for the rest of the day, but then she gets a text.

_Sessions is going to be confirmed  
Come by_

At first, Hillary thinks of telling her no. Antiques Roadshow is on in the background and Bill is sitting on the chair, halfway through his book, while Tally rolls around on the floor beside him. She’s lying down on the couch, cuddled up with Masie, phone in her hand, all but ready to let the day end.

“I’m going to go to DC tonight,” she says out loud.

Bill mutes the TV and raises a brow. “Why’s that?”

“I should talk to – Warren.” She catches herself at the last minute and sits up, stretching out her back with a sigh. “I think she’s looking to be a contender for 2020 and, well, for what she’s done for me, I think I should do something for her.”

“Warren’s a smart girl – and she’s a big girl, too. I don’t think she needs your help.” He opens his book back up, but doesn’t start reading. “Besides, there are many other possible contenders – Booker, Harris, hell, some people are still pushing for Michelle.”

“Oh, I’d vote for Michelle in a heartbeat,” Hillary chuckles softly. She clears her throat and shrugs. “All good points. But, well… I’d also just like a nice, long car ride. Just… some moments to myself.”

“You should’ve led with that.” The smile Bill gives her is warm, and it makes her heart ache, just a little. Maybe that’s how he felt when he did this to her. The thought of it makes her feel a little less ashamed, but it doesn’t help nullify the guilt or condone her actions. It is what it is. This is what she’s doing, and there’s no forgiving that.

She thinks of Chelsea the whole drive down, and her heart feels heavy in her chest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sessions has been confirmed[12], the ruling on the travel ban is coming in [13], and she’s lying in bed with Elizabeth. The lights are out and the windows are cracked open just enough to let the night air through.

Elizabeth’s phone is buzzing almost constantly, but she doesn’t touch it once, not until they’re left catching their breath in the afterglow and Hillary is staring at the ceiling fan while Elizabeth scrolls through all the messages and notifications.

“Are you going to run in 2020?” Hillary finally asks her, still staring up.

Elizabeth’s fingers briefly pause, before she resumes tapping the screen. “Are you running for mayor?”

The corner of her mouth quirks and Hillary shakes her head. “That’s how we’re playing it, huh?” she turns to face her, watching the light of the screen illuminate her face and reflect off her glasses. “I’d like to help, if I can.”

“I’d like that,” Elizabeth replies. She sets her phone aside and leans to kiss her again and Hillary kisses back, pulling her over and pressing her against her skin. Her fingers rub over the bruise she’d left in what feels like ages ago but was only moments.

“It’s too bad you didn’t back a turtleneck or something,” she jokes and presses a gentle kiss on the corner of her mouth. “Or I could’ve left more.”

 _Bill_ _has some,_ Hillary thinks, and she manages to stop herself from saying it aloud. The last thing they need is to talk about him, about reality, about anything that could shine light on what they’re doing. Instead she says, “I wouldn’t mind it, if you left more.”

Elizabeth laughs and shakes her head. “I appreciate the thought, but it’s getting very late and I have a busy day tomorrow.” She trails off with a sigh and checks the time on her phone. “Democracy won’t save itself.”

“I know how that feels,” Hillary says. She hesitates a moment before sliding over, closer, kissing the side of her neck and gently brushing her fingers down her thighs. “Let me return the favor, from that night.”

“Hillary,” Elizabeth rolls her eyes, “you’ve paid it back more than enough and besides, there’s a thing called a refractory period – not sure you’ve heard of it, considering how you’re acting now.”

“Multiple orgasms, Warren – I know you’ve heard of those because that was a big part of tonight,” Hillary retorts. She climbs over her, straddling her between her legs, and takes off her glasses. “First it was from your clit, and now it’s from your cunt.”

Elizabeth chuckles but doesn’t move her out of the way. “You kiss your mother with that mouth?”

“Says the woman who woke up half the city?”

“You’ve a wonderful way with words, Clinton,” Elizabeth chuckles. She leans up and kisses her, before Hillary pushes her back and kisses down the side of her chest. She takes her nipple in her mouth, pressed lightly between her teeth as she sucks and teases with her tongue. Sirens come in through the window and they do little to muffle the soft moans from Elizabeth.

Hillary takes her time, though she knows she doesn’t have a lot of it. She lifts her head up and starts to move her hand down, rubbing the inside of her thigh in slow, deliberate motions.

Elizabeth leans her head back, spreading her legs as Hillary traces along the outside of her cunt. She’s wet, very wet, but Hillary leans up and meets Elizabeth’s eyes. “Open up,” she says, and watches as Elizabeth opens her mouth and sucks her fingers.

They’re not an erogenous zone, to be sure, but the way Elizabeth looks, half-lidded eyes with her lips wrapped around two of her fingers as her tongue moves around – it’s enough to make Hillary bite back a moan. She pulls her hand back and smiles a little as Elizabeth tries to leave them in for longer, but all is forgiven and forgotten when Hillary finally slides into her cunt.

“Oh,” Elizabeth sighs, breathless and airy, her hands gripping the sheets. “Oh, Hillary…”

Hillary still moves slow – almost unbearably so. The pads of her fingertips slide in and out, in measured increments, going in deeper and deeper as she listens to Elizabeth moan and writhe underneath her. She goes to suck her other breast, closing her eyes and getting lost in the moment, when she lifts her head and just _breathes_ and Elizabeth starts to come.

Later that night, when it’s much too late to do anything else but sleep, Elizabeth leans over and whispers, “I’m glad you said yes to this.”

And Hillary realizes – she never really said yes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She sends out the tweet when she gets back to Chappaqua: 3-0. [14] It seemed like a funny idea in the early hours of the morning, when they were eating breakfast together and mumbling about the superficial aspects of politics to distract from whatever real issues that might present themselves.

Bill’s coming out of the house, dogs on their leashes, and he waves her over. She’s almost there, when her phone buzzes and there’s a message from Elizabeth.

She looks up, back at Bill and his smiling face, and shoves the phone back in her pocket as she smiles back.

She’ll read it later.

* * *

1 Elizabeth Warren was one of many senators who attended the Women’s March across the nation. Some more on that, as well as the quotes from CNN [here](https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/01/21/warren-conjures-core-values-american-democracy-boston-women-march-speech/g3byHiglM6WEUioYpH33QI/story.html).  [ return to text ]

2 I’m sure we all know the origins of this famous quote, so [ here’s this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZp93vI4VOg) of Anderson Cooper laughing at Kellyanne Conway. I hate to editorialize, but he’s a great guy and I hope he’s having a good day. I hope he’s not reading this.  [ return to text ]

3 Rumors circulated, early in January, that Hillary Clinton could possibly run for New York mayor. While she herself has not addressed the rumors directly, no one on her team has exactly been “knock[ing] the rumor down.” According to Politico, “Several key people who have spoken with Clinton in recent days […] start by insisting that they haven’t heard anything, then when pressed, go dark, and stop returning phone calls and emails.” More on that [here](http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/hillary-clinton-new-york-mayor-233384). Whether or not she does run remains to be seen.  [ return to text ]

1Hillary Clinton’s interview with People magazine, after the Women’s March, [here](http://people.com/politics/hillary-clinton-womens-marches-protesting-trump-momentum/).  [ return to text ]

5 The article in question is [here](http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/elizabeth-warren-ben-carson-234185). Though, to be completely honest, I still don’t understand why she did it.  [ return to text ]

6 Both Elizabeth and Hillary are coming out with new books. The article about Hillary’s new book is [here](http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/hillary-clinton-new-book-personal-essays-234482), while you can find more about Elizabeth’s new one [here](https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2017/02/07/elizabeth-warren-fight-club-populist-senator-upcoming-book-has-familiar-theme/XAnEqpUztaaoQP1NRN8EzJ/story.html?wpisrc=nl_daily202&wpmm=1).  [ return to text ]

7[True story](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hillary-bill-clinton-date-night-photos_us_5893581be4b0bf5206e687d8?utm_hp_ref=hillary-clinton).  [ return to text ]

8 The article is [here](https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/02/06/elizabeth-warren-hires-former-department-defense-official-national-security-aide/ZRbgXMuLz5rQG4JYI7drsL/story.html?). Like Hillary, many see this as a sign that Elizabeth is seeking to run in 2020. Whether that is true, even in the narrative of this fiction, remains to be seen.  [ return to text ]

9 If you haven’t seen these Obama vacation pics, take a look at these: [here](http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a8686102/photos-of-obama-relaxing-tropical-vacation/), [here](http://www.teenvogue.com/story/obama-vacation-photos-british-virgin-islands), and [here](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/07/obama-vacation-hat-kiteboard-branson). And, if you’re interested,[a fun opinion piece that Obama might know something we don’t](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/08/obama-richard-branson-trump).  [ return to text ]

10 As I’m sure you all know, this is in reference to Elizabeth being silenced on the Senate floor when reading Coretta Scott King’s letter regarding Jeff Session’s nomination as Attorney General. If you didn’t know this, here are some helpful links from [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/02/07/republicans-vote-to-rebuke-elizabeth-warren-for-impugning-sessionss-character/?utm_term=.a767796641fd) and [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/07/us/politics/republican-senators-vote-to-formally-silence-elizabeth-warren.html).  [ return to text ]

11 Elizabeth’s interview with Rachel Maddow, right after the events on the Senate floor, [here](http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/mcconnell-silences-warren-on-sessions-with-obscure-senate-rule-872244803614). This show is usually Elizabeth’s go-to, considering her leftist views but, another editorial here, I do like Rachel Maddow and I hope she too is having a good day.  [ return to text ]

12 More information on Sessions’ confirmation – as well as Elizabeth’s reaction - [here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/amid-deep-partisan-rancor-a-sharply-divided-senate-barrels-toward-sessions-vote/2017/02/08/d848d4fa-ee15-11e6-b4ff-ac2cf509efe5_story.html).  [ return to text ]

13 More information on the travel ban ruling – as well as Donald’s ridiculous reaction - [here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/federal-appeals-court-maintains-suspension-of-trumps-immigration-order/2017/02/09/e8526e70-ed47-11e6-9662-6eedf1627882_story.html?utm_term=.b789d1d05c33&wpisrc=al_alert-COMBO-politics%252Bnation).  [ return to text ]

14 Not exactly an informational footnote, but I just want to point out that [this](https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/829846842150096896) was a fantastic clapback and, weeks later, still gives me shivers.  [ return to text ]

**Author's Note:**

> There could be a sequel to this, if anyone is interested. Please let me know in the comments.
> 
> And, as last time, if you are able to, please try donating to [ Planned Parenthood](https://www.plannedparenthood.org/) or [ Black Lives Matter](http://blacklivesmatter.com/) or [ Standing Rock](http://standingrock.org/news/standing-rock-sioux-tribe--dakota-access-pipeline-donation-fund/) or just about any other organization that will desperately need help in these trying times. I'd also add a subscription to [the New York Times](http://nytimes.com/) or another reputable media source.


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